Page 83 of Saving Her Heart
"Based on our analysis, approximately fifty thousand dollars per device," Chance answers. "We found six devices in total. That's three hundred thousand dollars in explosives alone."
"Could Mr. Morrison, Ms. Thornfield, or Mr. Hutchins afford that?"
"Objection," Brennan calls out. "Speculation."
"I'll rephrase," Patricia says smoothly. "Detective Carter, did you investigate the financial records of the co-conspirators?"
"Yes," Chance confirms. "Morrison had less than ten thousand in savings. Ms. Thornfield's accounts were frozenin divorce proceedings. Brad Hutchins had negative bank balances."
"So who could afford these devices?"
"Based on the financial investigation, only William Thornfield had access to those kinds of funds."
Brennan cross-examines aggressively, trying to suggest the devices were crude, homemade, that anyone could have made them. But Chance holds firm—these were professional, military-grade, and expensive.
Morrison testifies next, brought in wearing shackles that the jury definitely notices. He looks worse than when I interviewed him—pale, shaking, clearly terrified.
"Mr. Morrison, how did you become involved in this conspiracy?" Patricia asks.
"William approached me two years ago," Morrison says, his voice barely above a whisper. "He knew I was in debt, struggling. He offered to pay off my creditors if I helped him acquire the buildings."
"How were you supposed to acquire them?"
"Make them worthless first," Morrison admits. "Drive out the tenants, create problems, make them too expensive to maintain. Then his shell companies would buy them cheap."
"Did you agree to arson?"
"No!" Morrison says quickly. "Never. I thought we were just... making things difficult. Bureaucratic problems. Not violence."
"When did you learn about the explosives?"
"The day of the first fire," Morrison says, looking at William. "He called me, said it was starting. I asked what was starting, and he said, 'The cleansing.' That's when I knew he'd gone beyond our plan."
"Objection," Brennan says. "Hearsay."
"It's a statement by a party opponent," Patricia counters. "It's admissible."
"Overruled," Judge Martinez says. "Continue."
Morrison details more of the conspiracy—the payments, the meetings, William's elaborate plans for development after the buildings were destroyed. It's damning testimony, even if Morrison is trying to minimize his own role.
Brennan's cross-examination is brutal. "Mr. Morrison, you're facing life in prison, aren't you?"
"Yes," Morrison admits.
"And you've been offered a deal for your testimony?"
"Yes."
"So you'd say anything to avoid life in prison, wouldn't you?"
"No, I'm telling the truth?—"
"The truth that benefits you," Brennan interrupts. "The truth that puts all the blame on my client."
"Objection," Patricia says. "Argumentative."
"Sustained," the judge rules.
